Patentable/Patents/US-10541175
US-10541175

Structure and formation method of semiconductor device with fin structures

PublishedJanuary 21, 2020
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A structure and a formation method of a semiconductor device structure are provided. The method includes forming a first fin structure, a second fin structure, and a third fin structure over a semiconductor substrate. The method includes forming first spacer elements over sidewalls of the first fin structure and the second fin structure and partially removing the first fin structure and the second fin structure. The method includes forming second spacer elements over sidewalls of the third fin structure and partially removing the third fin structure. The second spacer element is taller than the first spacer element. The method includes epitaxially growing a semiconductor material over the first fin structure, the second fin structure, and the third fin structure such that a merged semiconductor element is formed on the first fin structure and the second fin structure, and a semiconductor element is formed on the third fin structure.

Patent Claims
20 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A method for forming a semiconductor device structure, comprising: forming a first conductive feature over a semiconductor substrate; forming an oxygen-absorbing layer on a surface of the first conductive feature, wherein the oxygen-absorbing layer absorbs oxygen from the first conductive feature and becomes an oxygen-containing layer; applying a metal-containing precursor on the oxygen-containing layer to remove the oxygen-containing layer and continue to form a metal-containing layer on the first conductive feature, wherein after removing the oxygen-containing layer, the surface originally covered by the oxygen-containing layer is directly exposed to the metal-containing precursor to form the metal-containing layer on the surface; and forming a second conductive feature on the metal-containing layer.

2

2. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first conductive feature is a metal gate stack.

3

3. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first conductive feature is a conductive contact electrically connected to a source/drain structure.

4

4. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first conductive feature is a portion of a passive element.

5

5. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the oxygen-absorbing layer comprises an aluminum layer, and the oxygen-containing layer comprises an aluminum oxide layer.

6

6. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the oxygen-absorbing layer is formed using an aluminum-containing precursor.

7

7. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the aluminum-containing precursor comprises triethylaluminum, dimethylaluminumhydride, trimethylaluminum, dimethylethylamine alane, or a combination thereof.

8

8. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the oxygen-absorbing layer comprises a silicon layer, and the oxygen-containing layer comprises a silicon oxide layer.

9

9. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing precursor comprises a tungsten-containing precursor.

10

10. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the metal-containing precursor is substantially fluorine free.

11

11. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing precursor is selectively applied on the first conductive feature using an atomic layer deposition process.

12

12. A method for forming a semiconductor device structure, comprising: forming a first metal-containing element over a semiconductor substrate; selectively forming an oxygen-absorbing layer on a surface of the first metal-containing element, wherein the oxygen-absorbing layer absorbs oxygen from the first metal-containing element and becomes an oxygen-containing layer; selectively providing a metal-containing precursor on the oxygen-containing layer to remove the oxygen-containing layer and to continue to selectively form a metal-containing layer on the first metal-containing element, wherein after removing the oxygen-containing layer, the surface originally covered by the oxygen-containing layer is directly exposed to the metal-containing precursor to form the metal-containing layer on the surface; and forming a second metal-containing element on the metal-containing layer.

13

13. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising: forming a dielectric layer over the first metal-containing element; and forming an opening in the dielectric layer to expose the first metal-containing element before selectively forming the oxygen-absorbing layer.

14

14. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the oxygen-absorbing layer is formed using an aluminum-containing precursor.

15

15. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the metal-containing precursor is substantially fluorine free.

16

16. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the metal-containing precursor is provided using an atomic layer deposition process.

17

17. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the metal-containing precursor contains tungsten, tantalum, or molybdenum.

18

18. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the metal-containing precursor contains chlorine.

19

19. A method for forming a semiconductor device structure, comprising: forming a first metal-containing element over a semiconductor substrate; forming a metal layer on a surface of the first metal-containing element, wherein the metal layer absorbs oxygen from the first metal-containing element and becomes an oxygen-containing layer; providing a metal-containing precursor on the oxygen-containing layer using an atomic layer deposition process to etch the oxygen-containing layer and to continue to selectively form a metal-containing layer on the first metal-containing element, wherein after etching the oxygen-containing layer, the surface originally covered by the oxygen-containing layer is directly exposed to the metal-containing precursor to form the metal-containing layer on the surface; and forming a second metal-containing element on the metal-containing layer.

20

20. The method for forming a semiconductor device structure as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the metal-containing precursor contains chlorine and is substantially fluorine free.

Classification Codes (CPC)

Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.

Patent Metadata

Filing Date

August 8, 2018

Publication Date

January 21, 2020

Want to explore more patents?

Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.

Citation & reuse

Analysis on this page is generated by Patentable — an AI-powered patent intelligence platform. AI-generated summaries, explanations, and analysis may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL below. Patent abstracts and claims are USPTO public domain.

Cite as: Patentable. “Structure and formation method of semiconductor device with fin structures” (US-10541175). https://patentable.app/patents/US-10541175

© 2026 Patentable. All rights reserved.

Patentable is a research and drafting-assistant tool, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. Documents we generate are drafts for review by a licensed patent attorney.